Ruto: I had same plans as Raila’s during the 2022 elections
By Luke Oluoch, November 16, 2025President William Ruto has claimed that he had the same plans and vision for Kenya as the late Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, Raila Odinga, whom he beat in the 2022 presidential elections.
Speaking during the ODM founders’ dinners event in Mombasa on Saturday, November 15, 2025, Ruto added that he never experienced sleepless nights like many from his team just before the results of the highly contested elections.
Same plans
According to Ruto, had Raila won the elections, he would have just implemented the same policies he is undertaking.
“After the 2022 election, many from my team were having sleepless nights, but I was comfortably sleeping. It did not matter to me who would win the elections. Whether I won or Raila won, we had almost the same plan for this country.
“I can say without fear of contradiction that Raila would have implemented the housing and the universal coverage the way I am implementing. We believed in it together. Most of the plans were in the original ODM Manifesto,” he added.
During the event, Ruto pleaded with the newly installed Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders to keep the legacy of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga alive.
The Head of State asked the leaders not to allow ODM to sink into chaos and arguments.
“The people who now have the reins of this party, please, I urge you not to undermine the spirit of ODM, not to allow this party to go into arguments, or to fragment this party. This party must stay strong for the sake of Raila Amolo Odinga and his legacy,” Ruto stated.
“I say so being a party leader of a different party today, but I am a strong believer that parties are the foundation of every strong democracy. That is why I have come here to celebrate ODM as a strong party, not a briefcase party, not a regional party, but a national party,” he added.